YuYu Hakusho: Ryū's Tale
by Aki0Storyteller0
Summary: Ryū has been a slave for several years; as caretaker of all new arrivals, Ryū usually sees the bright shine of hope dim and disappear from their eyes. She has been hoping for freedom and dreaming of escape since the moment she was captured herself. When Ryū is summoned to take care of a girl that she met once before, she gets a feeling that something big is going on. . . but what?


(Disclaimer for Story: I own only my OC's, I will not ever own YuYu Hakusho! T.T)

(A/N: Okay, let's get this show on the road. I came up with the idea for this story a long time ago, but hadn't really done anything with it. So, I'm going to let you all read this first chapter and wait to see what you all think; if I get some feedback that shows that people like what I've done, I'll continue to update this story. If not, I won't update it or will remove it.)

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YuYu Hakusho:

Ryū's Tale

Chapter 1:

Meeting an old friend

Running, screaming, yelling, crying, these were things that could be heard all around the medium sized room, but the yells, screams, and cries were not coming from anywhere in the room. They came from other rooms, from people in the rooms both adjacent to the room and in those across the hall. The sounds of running came from people rushing down the hallways.

A girl stood in the center of the room across from a dresser with a mirror on top, a brush in hand. Black locks pulled over a shoulder took on a red tint when the light hit them right. She stared into the mirror and a girl stared back at her. Teal eyes, light tan skin, a small, straight nose, rose petal pink lips, and finely shaped black eyebrows arched above large, expressive eyes were all set in an oval face with a hint of baby fat clinging to her cheeks. Her attire was a red kimono with a black obi.

To the girl's right pressed against the wall was a small futon neatly folded. To her left surrounded by pillow like seats was a table that stood low to the ground, a teapot and several cups were set on top. The last wall, the one behind her, had only a door set into it.

A soft humming came from the girl as she brushed her hair. A sad smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as the door to the room opened. "Hello? Ryū?" a small voice asked from the open door.

"Yes, Tonbo?" the girl in front of the mirror asked as she looked at the other girl's reflection. The other girl was taller than her, skin a sickly pale color, emerald locks fell out of the braid that ran down her back, shapely, emerald eyebrows furrowed together above lavender eyes, a nose that was a little too big for her face, and a pair of pale lips were all set into a heart shaped face. She was dressed in a light green kimono with a light blue obi.

"M-may I come in?" Tonbo's voice shook as she spoke.

"Of course," Ryū said a slight frown on her face, "What's up?"

"M-M-Master," Tonbo started.

"He didn't beat you again, did he?" The emerald haired girl looked sorrowful. "That bas-"

"Ryū, please don't." The black haired girl growled softly as she beckoned the other girl over to a chair. "Ryū?"

"Come here and let me see what he did."

"Okay," Tonbo said with a small smile, "T-thank you, Ryū." Tonbo quickly moved to the chair and let her friend tend to her wounds.

Ryū growled as she saw the bruises and felt the broken bones that had been given to Tonbo by the man they were forced to call "master" and Ryū silently swore that he would pay dearly. Holding a hand over the injuries, Ryū sighed as she calmed herself; Tonbo watched as Ryū's hand glowed red and the wounds on her friend's body healed.

"You get better at healing every time I come in here." A male's voice drifted over to the two girls.

"Kaigara, you never change." Ryū said with a small smile, she was happy to receive a compliment from him.

Kaigara let out a small whine of protest before he walked over to the two. He was taller than the two girls. He had an oval face for the most part, his jaw being square-ish kind of threw that off, deep purple eyebrows arched above lavender eyes, a medium but fitting nose, and pale lips made up his face. His skin was the same color as Tonbo's, but that was most likely because they were twins. Them being twins was not something that most people realized. Kaigara's gravity defying hair was a deep purple color with the exception of an emerald colored starburst. "That's unfair and untrue." He said as he walked.

"Big brother, she didn't mean it in a bad way. Isn't that right, Ryū?" Tonbo said, emerald eyes shining. Ryū smiled, it was so cute in her opinion that Tonbo looked up to her twin in the same way that most would look up to a hero.

"I don't think he deserves to take it as a compliment if he can't tell that it was supposed to be one in the first place." Ryū said as she glanced over her shoulder at the boy. Kaigara pouted and crossed his arms.

"Meanie," he muttered. He was dressed in a yellow muscle shirt and dark purple pants with a black belt.

"Dimwit."

"Witch."

"Twerp."

"Hag."

"Idiot."

"Loser."

"Fool."

"What did you say?" Kaigara tried to grab Ryū in a headlock but only caught air.

"I said you're a fool, are you going deaf as well?" she was behind him and easily sidestepped his punch as he turned around.

"I swear one of these days…" he trailed off when he heard Tonbo laughing. Kaigara smiled, he had missed the sound that rang like light sweet bells. Tonbo hadn't laughed, himself as well, in years.

"Glad our fighting is so funny." Ryū said, "It's good to hear you laugh."

"Do you ever think we'll get out of here? Away from that mad- I mean, our Master?" Ryū and Kaigara shared a look before turning back to Tonbo.

"I'll take that for a stupid question." Another male's voice sounded from the doorway. The three turned to face the new arrival.

"Kyo!" Ryū exclaimed with a smile before she was pulled into a hug.

"Ryū-san, it's good to see you again. You look just as lovely, if no more so, than the last time I saw you." Kyo said with a smirk as he released the smaller girl, who stuck her tongue out at him.

"Kyo, good to see ya man!" Kaigara said as he slapped the shorter man on the back, making him grunt in pain.

"Strong as ever it seems." Kyo was taller than Tonbo too, he smiled at the girl. He had bright blue hair, matching eyes and eyebrows, a small nose, and light pink lips. His facial structure could've been made by the gods, at least in Tonbo's opinion. Kyo's attire was a black sleeveless shirt and black pants.

"Same old Kyo, right guys?"

"Yup."

"You said it."

"Heh, you all are the same as always too."

"Hey, I resent that!" Kaigara yelled. The others laughed, but they all froze when they heard the ringing of a bell; it was a deep, heavy sound.

"Uh-oh," Tonbo whispered.

"Another one? Damn." Kyo's hands became fists that shook.

"Poor unfortunate soul." Kaigara muttered.

"I've got to go you guys," Ryū said and her friends turned to her. "It's my job to see to the new arrivals, remember?" They watched as she seemed to disappear into the wall beside the low table.

"I always get a chill when I see her do that."

* * *

"You called Master." It wasn't a question. She stood with her back just inches from a wall as she looked around the room. Dark gray stone walls, torches scorching the stone, three men and a girl in the center of the room, an empty throne, a small table next to it with a bottle of wine and a half full, or half empty, glass on top.

Two of the men were dressed in red uniforms with red eared helmets and black gloves and boots. Ryū came up to their shoulders; the same seemed to be true of the girl they were holding. The last man was short, coming up to Ryū's nose. He had receding gray hair and small beading orange eyes. His attire was a gray kimono with black and blue spiral like designs and sandals.

"Yes, I did. Come here, Blossom, and tell me what kind of demon I caught this time." Ryū shot a glare in the man's direction when he wasn't looking.

She said nothing but came closer, looking closely at the girl. Ryū blinked, why was this girl that stood before her so familiar? With a small scowl, she brushed the thought away. Through narrowed teal eyes, she took in all the details that she could about the girl; starting with her appearance and starting from head to toe.

Long mint-green hair kept in a low ponytail in the back that was tied with a fancy, red ribbon, and some of her hair fell in front of her ears and fell to just past her shoulders. Thin, mint-green eyebrows arched above red eyes, which made Ryū think of rubies, were large and expressive; a small but cute nose; small but full lips were all part of an oval-ish face. A long-sleeved, light blue kimono with a darker blue obi, tied in the back like most wore them, a red 'lining' that could be seen around the collar of her kimono indicated that she wore a hiyoki, or an under-garment, and white socks and sandals.

She was pretty - no, that wasn't right; she wasn't pretty per se, but she wasn't really beautiful either. If asked Ryū would've said that she was about halfway between the two. She looked sad, and Ryū couldn't blame her; no one really like being a slave, or the idea of being one for that matter.

Ryū frowned, who was this girl and why was she so familiar?

"Well? What type is the wench?" Ryū's Master demanded; he was impatient and wanted answers.

"She's an Ice Apparition." Ryū said, her voice dead, but her eyes blazed with fury; she recognized the girl, her name was Yukina. Ryū had never thought that Hojo, her Master, would ever get his hands on an Ice Maiden, but he had… not like she was going to tell him that, he'd force the poor girl to make the hiruseki stones that only could be made by the tears of an Ice Maiden.

"Really?" He laughed before turning to Yukina. "What's your name, Wench?" He had that creepy sneer on his face that was filled with greed and joy.

"Her name is Yu- Yume." Ryū said, stuttering as she tried to think of a false name to give her Master, not that he noticed.

"Yume, huh? How'd you know?" He turned narrowed, suspicious eyes towards her.

"We've met before; it has been many a year since then, Master." Ryū said, telling the truth.

"Heh, whatever. Take her to your room." Hojo said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Sir?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion; he had never had a new arrival stay in her room, but in a room close to her own. She couldn't help but wonder at this change.

"You know her, right? So there should be no problem. Now get," he ordered and Ryū forced herself not to wince as the bands wrapped around her wrists and ankles, hidden by her kimono, started to burn her skin, making a sizzling sound. Yukina, who didn't have these bands _yet_, looked worried as she caught sight of the yellow glow and the flicker of pain through Ryū's eyes.

"Of course, Master." Ryū caught Yukina's eye and tilted her head towards the wall she had stood before earlier, "This way." Yukina nodded and followed Ryū to the wall. She watched as Ryū seemed to disappear into the wall and quickly followed, finding herself in a hallway.

"Um, excuse me…?"

"Ryū," the one word was spoken in a warm tone that spoke of happiness and sorrow.

"T-thank you, Miss Ryū-" Yukina started.

"No 'miss', just Ryū. It's been awhile hasn't it, Yukina?" Ryū looked back at the startled ice maiden.

"How?" was all she got out before Ryū started to talk again.

"You don't remember me? Ouch, that hurts. And here I thought that the little ice apparition I used to play tag and hide-and-go-seek with would've remembered me. I guess I was wrong." Her voice and face filled with pseudo hurt as she turned to face Yukina fully.

Yukina looked even more surprised than before, but recognition became clear in her eyes; after a moment or two, she smiled and hugged the black haired girl just like she had in times pass.

"It's good to see you again, Yuki-chan," Ryū said with a small smile before a sad look overtook her face, "but here you can't use your real name. Be careful of what you say and do. Don't let them know that you are an ice maiden. If Hojo hears even a rumor from any of the people here that you can make jewels with just your tears, he'll do whatever he can to make you cry." Ryū looked angry and gritted her teeth together loudly. "Yume, since that's what Hojo thinks you're name is now; promise me that you will not say a word about the ability of ice maidens or about you being an ice maiden."

"Okay, I promise." Yume, or rather Yukina, said.

"Good girl. Come on, I'd like to introduce you to some of my friends here."

Not long after, the two entered Ryū's room from the false wall. Kaigara and the others were still there, talking and making speculations about the newest person within the castle walls.

"I bet it's a girl, a really pretty one!" Kaigara said as he leaned back against the wall next to the bed.

"Nah, it's got to be a guy!" Kyo claimed as he did a series of squats.

"I think the new person is a girl," Tonbo said in a mink voice from one of the pillow near the table. None of them noticed the two girls standing next to the false wall.

"I _know_ that the new person is a girl." Ryū said and the others quickly turned to her and the girl who was slightly hidden behind her.

"Whoa!" Kaigara said as his mouth fell open and his eyes grew wide.

"She's lovely." Tonbo said as she blushed and looked down at her knees.

"Damn and I was hoping for a guy." Kyo snapped his fingers in disappointment.

"Idiot," Ryū said as she hit Kaigara and Kyo over the head.

"OW! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!" They yelled as they held their heads.


End file.
